Most firearms are designed to inhibit inadvertent discharge. For example, some firearms incorporate a trigger mechanism that includes a “firing pin safety” operatively coupled with the trigger and deactivated by pulling the trigger. In such trigger mechanisms, however, the deactivation of the “firing pin safety” typically interferes with the trigger pull in a way that negatively impacts the smoothness of the trigger pull. As a result, sport shooters often modify or even remove such a firing pin safety in competitions. Modifying or removing a firing pin safety can lead to inadvertent discharge, such as if the firearm is dropped, especially when a lighter trigger pull is employed.
Many existing trigger mechanisms for hammer-fired semi-automatic firearms include a trigger bar and require space under the trigger bar to accommodate semi-automatic function. The required space under the trigger bar, however, results in the barrel being placed farther away from the shooter's hand, thereby degrading operational characteristics.